Friday, September 13, 2013Ohio lawmakers discuss energy bill, ObamacareA new energy bill and a move to defund Obamacare were topics of conversation in a conference call Sen. Rob Portman held with reporters on Thursday.Story by NICK CASTELE

The House of Representatives has voted dozens of times to defund or otherwise take the wind out of the sails of the Affordable Care Act. Now, there’s talk in the Senate of doing the same.Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Republican Sen. Rob Portman said he’d support that move.

“I think the Senate ought to debate it and decide whether we would like to repeal Obamacare or not,” Portman said. “The House has voted on that. And also decide whether it’s appropriate to defund it or not. And I would support, as you know, repealing and replacing Obamacare, and defunding Obamacare.”

Portman is cosponsoring a bill with fellow Republican Sen. Ted Cruz to defund the healthcare law, but with Democrats controlling the Senate it likely has little hope of passing.

Portman is also co-sponsoring an energy bill that offers incentives for making supply chains more efficient and training workers in efficient building design. It also requires the federal government to conserve energy used by government computers.